Game-counter.



No. 742,076. PATENTED OCT. 20, 1903. E. SUMMERS.

GAME COUNTER.

APPLICATION FILED 001 .9, 1902. 10 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

gffizadbad w norms vzrsns 50.. vnorauma, WASMINQTON,

No. 742,076. PATENTED 001:. 20, 1903. E. SUMMERS.

GAME COUNTER.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.9,'1902.

IQ MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WIT/V5555 [NVENTOR UNITED STATES Patented ()ctober 20, I993,

PATENT OFFICE.

GAME-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 742,076, dated October 20, 1903.

Application filed October 9, 1902. Serial N- lZGASO. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD SoMMERs, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game-Counters; and I do declare the following to bea full, clear, and exactdescription .Of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figuresofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to game-counters, and has for its object to provide a device of this class which is simple in construction, useful, and eificient.

A further object of myinvention is to provide a game-counter combined with a cribpage-board.

lVith these objects in view my invention consists in providing a box of any convenient shape or construction with my simple counting mechanism, as will be hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my counter applied to a cribbage-board. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the interior thereof, the front and top beingbroken away. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through Fig. 1, showing position thereof when registering a count. Fig. 1 is a like view showing position when not registering. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of my bell-crank lever. Fig. 6 is a perspectiveof my operating pin or plunger. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modification of my board. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-section of a modification of Fig. 3.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures, in which- 1 is the box, provided with the top 2, which, as shown in Fig. 1, forms a cribbage-board 3.

1 indicates my operating pins or plungers, which are located as shown and which are carried in a casing 5. The upper portion 6 of the pins or plungers are substantially semicylindrical, which forms the shoulder 7. The lower portion 8 is cylindrical, out of a less diameter, so as to carry the spring 9, which is preferably secured thereto. The front of the casing5 is cut out at 10, and anarrow metal strip 11 is secured to the top of said casing, engaging the shoulders 7 of the pins or plungers, so as to securely hold said pins or plungers in position.

2 indicates my bell-crauk levers, which are fulorumed at 13 in ears 1st, secured to the bottom piece 15. The vertical arm 16 of said lever is provided with a horizontal extension or catch 17, which enters the opening in the casing and engages the shoulder 7. The oblique arm 18 of said lever carries a spring 19, which rests on the bottom and normally holds the horizontal extension or catch 17 in the opening 10.

indicates push-buttons linked to the end of the oblique arms 18 of the bell-crank levers.

The top 2 of the box is provided with a series of circular openings 21, through which the buttons 20 protrude, and in Fig. 1 I show a series of numbers above said openings. In Fig. 7, however, the numbers are arranged above and below the openings, so that the same count may be registered with a less number of buttons. The top 2 is also provided with semicircularopenings 22, through which the pins or plungers pass. In Fig. 2 I show said pins or plungers with numbers on the fiat faces thereof corresponding with the numbers on the box, as shown in Fig. 1; but in Fig. 7 I show the pins or plungers numbered on their tops to correspond with the numbers below the buttons, and the flat faces of said pins are provided with numbers corresponding to those above the buttons. (See Fig. 6.)

Having thus described the several parts of my invention, its operation is as follows: When it is desired to register a count in any game which counts from one to five hundred, the pins or plungers whose numbers aggregate the count are depressed, as shown in Fig. 3. This causes the shoulder 7 to pass below the opening 10, and the horizontal extension or catch of the bell-crank lever passes over said shoulder and holds the pin or plunger down. This movement of the vertical arm of the bell-crank lever causes the horizontal arm to raise and push the button 20 through the opening in the top 2, which is numbered. Thus it is plainly seen that the count is registered by the number of raised buttons. In order to cancel the count, the buttons themselves are depressed, which draws the horizontal extension or catch of the bell-crank lever out of engagement with the shoulder and allows the pin or plunger to raise to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 4.

It will be noticed that the same shoulder 7 that engages the bell-crank lever engages the metal strip 11 to prevent the pin or plunger from coming out of the casing.

In Fig. 8 I show the casing formed of one of the sides of the box by providing said side with a series of vertical cavities, which simplifies the construction and lessens the cost of manufacture.

Having thus described my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction herein set forth, as various slight changes may be made in form and construction which would fall within the limit and scope of my invention, and I conopenings, a casing within said box, a series of plungers carried in said casing, the upper portions of which are substantially semicircular, shoulders on said plungers, springs at the bottom of said plungers adapted to normally hold the same in a raised position, a bell-crank lever carrying a button, said bellcrank lever being adapted to engage said shoulder, and raise said button.

2. In a game-counter the combination with the top of a box of a casing therein, plungers carried in said casing, bell-crank levers adapted to engage said plungers and hold the same depressed, buttons carried on said bell-crank levers and adapted to be raised when said bell-cranks engage said plungers.

3. The combination with a casing of a plunger carried therein, a bell-crank lever adapted to be moved when said plunger is depressed, means on said bell-crank lever for holding said plunger depressed, and a button carried on said bell-crank lever,and adapted to be raised by the movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD SOMMERS. lVitnesses:

HERBERT C. EMERY, O. HUGH DUFFY. 

